04) YORK FEDERATION OF STUDENTS ENDORSES BDS CAMPAIGN

Special to PV

In an historic vote at the largest undergraduate students' union in Canada, the York Federation of Students (YFS) has endorsed the Global Campaign for Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) against Israeli apartheid. The YFS joins many student unions around the world, who have passed similar resolutions. In Canada these include Carleton University Graduate Students' Association, University of Regina Student Union, and most recently, York University Graduate Students' Association and University of Toronto Graduate Students' Union.

            The resolution was drafted in response to the 2005 Palestinian civil society call for boycott, divestment and sanctions against Israel. The campaign aims to pressure Israel to comply with international law and end its occupation of the West Bank and Gaza; to allow Palestinian refugees their internationally guaranteed right to return to their homes and villages; and to grant equal rights to Palestinian citizens of Israel.

            The YFS Board resolution, adopted by a vote of 18-2, also demands that York University abide by the BDS call, specifically urging the University to withdraw its investments from Northrop Grumman, BAE Systems, Amphenol and other companies that sell weapons and military equipment to Israel.

            "The oppression of the Palestinian people at the hands of the Israeli state is not some far off issue that we can choose to ignore. We are already deeply implicated in the human rights violations of the Israeli State through our investments in the above‑mentioned companies. We do not have the privilege to remain 'neutral' on this issue," said Students Against Israeli Apartheid (SAIA) York collective member Huda Al‑Sarraj.

            SAIA York now hopes to lobby the York administration to implement a socially responsible investment policy. With the support of the GSA and the YFS, as well as the TA's, GA's and contract faculty union, CUPE 3903 (which passed a BDS motion in 2006), SAIA York will now demand an end to the investment of university funds into companies that profit from violations of international law and human rights.

(The above article is from the April 1-15, 2013, issue of People's Voice, Canada's leading communist newspaper. Articles can be reprinted free if the source is credited. Subscription rates in Canada: $30/year, or $15 low income rate; for U.S. readers - $45 US per year; other overseas readers - $45 US or $50 CDN per year. Send to People's Voice, c/o PV Business Manager, 706 Clark Drive, Vancouver, BC, V5L 3J1.)